Have you ever bitten into a green mango expecting a little tartness, only to be surprised by its intense sourness? It is this very sourness which makes green mango such a wonderful inclusion in all savoury dishes, as long as you are careful not to add too much because it can completely dominate the dish. The good thing is that the solution lies not in any special ingredient. A little salt, jaggery and the right spices can make a surprisingly big difference.
Start With Small Amounts
While cooking with a raw mango, it is always advisable to be cautious when adding it because there are different degrees of sourness from mango to mango. Even if you use it and it turns out perfect the first time you make the dish, it doesn’t always happen that way, since it is acidic. It’s easier to add more to enhance the taste than to reduce the acidity.
Let Salt Do Some Work
Although salt cannot neutralise the sharpness, it is important for achieving the right balance of the flavours. The best way is to begin with a small amount of salt in order to try out its taste, and continue if necessary. It is especially effective when making chutney, salads, and vegetable dishes. But care should be taken not to put too much salt since other items might already have salt.
Add Jaggery For Sweetness
If the dish is still too tart, jaggery is usually the easiest way to soften the edges. It doesn’t take much to add sweetness. The ideal way to do it is to start with a small amount that you dissolve, then add some more if required. The clever thing is not to let the sugar overpower the other items since the aim is to have the sourness of the mango really shine. This is mainly great for chutneys and gravies.
Bring In The Spices
Spices can change how the sourness comes across without overpowering it completely. Spices such as roasted cumin, chilli powder, turmeric, mustard seeds, and coriander are definitely something you can go for to match the particular recipe. As it comes to a combination like a chutney, using cumin and chilli will really add dimension to mangoes. In case it’s a curry that we’re talking about, turmeric and mustard seeds will help make the seasoning more balanced, almost to the point it feels complete.
Think About The Whole Dish
Sometimes the answer isn’t another seasoning. If your recipe already contains tomatoes, lemon or tamarind, adding lots of mango may simply be too much sourness at once. Balance the ingredients instead of trying to correct everything at the end. If you’re shopping for several ingredients, comparing the best grocery delivery app can also make planning the recipe a little easier.
Taste Before Serving
This sounds obvious, but tasting at the end is where you’ll catch most problems. Take a small spoonful and check whether you can taste the mango, salt, sweetness and spices separately without one completely overpowering the others. If it feels too sour, add a tiny bit of jaggery. Too flat? Try salt or a suitable spice. Need more tang? Add a little more raw mango.
Make Shopping Part Of The Plan
Having the basic ingredients ready makes experimenting much less annoying. If you’re comparing the best grocery delivery app for your weekly ingredients, Instamart is one option to consider for grocery delivery, subject to product availability. That way, when you decide to make a mango chutney or curry, you’re less likely to discover halfway through that you’ve run out of jaggery or cumin.